Machine for destroying cotton-boll weevil, &amp;c.



No. 640,829. Pate nted Jan. 9, I900.

F. STROBACH.

MACHINE DESTRUYING COTTON BOLL WEEVIL, 8 c.

(Applicatioxi filed June 5, 189941 (No Model.)

UNITED STATES Y PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS STROBAOI-I, OF VICTORIA, TEXAS.

MACHINE FOR DESTROYING COTTO'N-BOLL WEEVIL, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,829, dated January 9, 1900.

7 Application filed June 5, 1899- Serlal No. 719,519. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS STROBACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Victoria, in the county of Victoria and State of,

Texas, have invented a new and useful Machine for the Destruction of the Mexican Cotton-Boll Weevil and other Insects, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in insect-destroying machines; and the object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of this character whereby insects may be attracted by a light underneath a tent and then drawn by a suction of air through a pipe and deposited in a chamber, where a fire is maintained for the purpose of destroying the insects.

Another feature of the invention consist in the provision of means in an insect-destroying machine whereby a retort and furnace are produced, said retort having com munication with a blowpipe and a pipe leading from the opposite end of the retort, whereby the poisonous gases generated in the retort may be conveyed to asuitab1elocation,whence the fumes may escape in contact with the vegetation on which the insects to be destroyed are located.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the same consists, further, in the novel construction, combination, and adaptation of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichs Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine. Fig. 2 is a detail view, and Fig. 3 is a cross section, through the retort and furnace.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter,A designates the truck, of any suitable form, mounted upon wheels B, to one of which wheels a gear-wheel C is attached, which meshes with the pinion-wheel D, keyed to the shaft E, which is suitably journaled in hearings on the truck. 0nd shaft F, also j ournaled in the truck, carries a pinion-wheel G, meshing with the teeth on the circumference of gear-wheel H, carried by shaft E. To the inner end of shaft F is a pulley J, about which a belt K passes, which latter works about the pulley L on the shaft A sec- L, on which the fan M is mounted. This fan is suitably surrounded by a casing N, from which a pipe 0 leads to an opening in the tent P, as at 0. On a suitable support a lamp Q is held, having a chimney and globe, the upper end of the latter filling an opening R at the highest portion or apex of the tent.

On the truck is a receptacle S, in which may be contained a fire, and this receptacle communicates with the chamber in which the fan rotates, and access is had to it by means of a hinged lid S, to which the elbow S is connected. Leading from said receptacle S is a retort T, which has open ends covered with a netting or perforated plate T. Said retort is surrounded by a furnace V, having a suitable door V. Access is had to the in terior of the retort by means of the fillingaperture V over which a lid W is held by means of the screw-fastener X, as shown.

Leading from the retort is a pipe Y, about which a cooling-jacket Z may be disposed, said pipe leading to a location near the ground, whence the poisonous fumes may be blown out upon the plants.

In operation, when the machine is used for drawing in insects which gather about the light, a horse is attached to the truck and the device is drawn at night over the field, and the insects being attracted to the lamp underneath the tent are drawn by suction down through the pipe 0 and into the receptacle S, where a fire has been previously built, which is kept alive by the draft from the suction-pipe. The insects are consumed and may be removed from the receptacle by lifting the lid.

When the machine is adapted for use in blowing out poisonous fumes from the retort, the fire in the furnace is started and the poisonous ingredients are placed in the receptacle or generator S, and the fumes passing through the retort are superheated prior to their passing through the discharge-pipe.

When it is desired to utilize the invention for use in destroying larvae and pupae of the boll-weevil, &c., arsenic and sulfur or other ingredients are used in the generator S and the retort is filled with charcoal, which is heated by the furnace to an extreme heat, and the poisonous fumes are caused by the blast of air to pass through the retort filled with the heated charcoal, and thence through the discharge-pipe.

What I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 15-

1. An insect-destroyer, comprising atruck mounted on wheels, a rotary fan-wheel and geared connection between same and one of the truck-wheels, a fire-receptacle, a tent and lamp held beneath the latter and adjacent to its apex, a suction-pipe leading from the highest portion of the tent and communicating with the casing about the fan-Wheel, and a communicating elbow between the fan-casing and the fire-receptacle, as set forth. I

2. In combination with the truck, gearing FRANCIS STROBACH.

lVitnesses:

GEO. DEISBACH, H. P. GRAMANN. 

